Released: November 08, 2019

Consumers are empowered by FCC’s retransmission consent decision

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Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) upheld an AT&T complaint against a group of TV broadcasters for failure to negotiate retransmission consent in good faith. The following is a statement from Ken McEldowney, executive director of Consumer Action:

“We applaud FCC’s retransmission consent decision because it empowers consumers. Broadcasters’ refusal to negotiate with distributors is a clear violation of the good faith bargaining rules guaranteed by the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act Reauthorization (STELAR). Congress must preserve STELAR’s vital protections that defend consumers by allowing the FCC to continue to rein in broadcasters' unfair behavior.”

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Through education and advocacy, Consumer Action fights for strong consumer rights and policies that promote fairness and financial prosperity for underrepresented consumers nationwide.